If that were to happen, the estate's bankruptcy would be inevitable.

When Penelope suddenly shook her head, Ahwin flinched and set down his teacup.

"Why did you do that all of a sudden?"

"Oh, it’s nothing," she replied quickly.

The Halo estate was still poor, and there was no money left to give Ahwin. If he decided to reveal his identity, she would have no choice but to brace herself and face the consequences.

At that moment, only one thought occupied Penelope’s mind:

The Mage Tower Master’s fees are astronomical. If anyone discovers his identity, I won’t be able to handle it. Better to feign ignorance and play dumb.

It was a deeply pragmatic and calculating plan.

As she sorted through her swirling thoughts, Penelope finally regained her composure. She took a big bite of a cookie packed with chocolate. The sweet flavor lifted her mood, if only slightly.

Then Ahwin cleared his throat and asked casually, "What do you think?"

"About what?"

"Don’t you notice anything different about me?"

...Was he really asking that? Like this? Seriously?

Penelope downed the rest of her coffee in one gulp and offered an immediate compliment.

"It looks great. You should’ve cut that scraggly hair ages ago."

"...There’s not a shred of sincerity in your voice. Take a closer look and tell me," Ahwin protested, leaning forward as if to demand her full attention.

His face now close to hers, Penelope froze, her eyes widening in shock.

Under his long lashes, his light green eyes stared directly at her from just inches away. His alabaster skin was flawless, his high, straight nose perfectly sculpted, and his delicate features formed a harmony that seemed almost too perfect.

Then, as if to tempt her further, his rose-colored lips parted.

"Well? What do you think?"

"Pfft!"

Penelope spit out her coffee.

Ahwin recoiled in alarm. "What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting all jittery this whole time."

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the coffee from her cheek. Then, as if it were the most natural thing, he moved on to clean her hand where the coffee had spilled.

Penelope gasped softly.

"..."

The room fell eerily quiet, and Ahwin, sensing the silence, looked up. His breath caught as he noticed Penelope’s cheeks, now flushed a rosy red.

"Oh, sorry."

He quickly let go of her hand. Penelope muttered, "It’s fine," before abruptly standing up from her seat.

For some reason, she felt her earlobes grow hot, and an odd tension swept through her, as if her entire body had prickled with unease.

The sheer pressure of his presence was overwhelming.

She wanted to pull at her hair in frustration.

Why, of all things, does he have to look like that?

His delicate, ethereal face combined with a masculine, well-defined physique fit her ideal type perfectly.

This can’t be happening! Why does Ahwin have to be the Mage Tower Master?

And why, of all people, did he have to match her ideal type?

More than anything, the fact that she found herself tense around Ahwin was unacceptable.

"Why are you standing all of a sudden? Where are you going?" he asked, puzzled.

"What do you mean, ‘what’s changed’? Ahwin is the same as ever!" she shot back.

In fact, she almost preferred when he had his hair long and messy.

Blushing furiously, Penelope strode out of the office, her steps quick and almost frantic. Ahwin, left behind, stared after her with a bewildered expression.

***

Three days later.

The soap workshop reopened after completing its ondol heating installation.

Mrs. Lena, a resident of Halo and a worker at the soap workshop, was genuinely delighted to return to work. The temporary closure of the workshop during the heating installation had left her idle for some time.

“Suddenly installing heating? It’s not like the chapel’s fireplace was broken or anything…”

She felt a small flicker of curiosity but dismissed it as the sort of decision made by people above her station. Quickening her steps, she headed toward the workshop.

As soon as Mrs. Lena entered the chapel where the workshop was located, she stopped in surprise. The air inside was warm, almost like spring.

The other workers, who had arrived earlier, were buzzing with chatter.

“What in the world is going on here?”

“The floor is warm!”

“Didn’t they say there was new heating installed? It must be because of that!”

Everyone wore expressions of astonishment. It was hard to believe the chapel could feel so warm without a fireplace.

Just then, the steward appeared, prompting the residents to rush toward him.

“Sir Steward, what is going on here? Aren’t magical devices for temperature control outrageously expensive? What if the soap workshop goes bankrupt from this?”

“Surely the cost of this heating system is more than the income from soap sales?”

The typically stern steward addressed their concerns with his usual strict expression.

“The heating system was designed directly by the lady of the manor. It uses almost no mana stones, so there’s no need to worry about costs. Focus on your work.”

“My goodness!”

“It’s true! My friend who works at the manor said as much! With it this warm, we won’t have to worry about freezing while we work!”

Hearing the steward’s explanation, the residents were overjoyed.

Mrs. Lena felt both astonished and thrilled. At the same time, a thought crept into her mind—how wonderful it would be to have this warm heating system installed in her own home.

***

"The soap workshop is bustling with activity once more," the steward announced in a proud voice during a long-awaited meeting.

With the addition of the construction workers hired by Pablo, the heating installation at the soap workshop had been completed swiftly, allowing operations to resume.

Moreover, a large number of residents applied to work at the workshop.

In the harsh winter, a warm workplace was a rare and highly sought-after opportunity.

The influx of workers to the workshop caused nearby shops to reopen as well, reigniting a virtuous cycle of activity.

After his report, the steward shared an unexpected piece of news.

"There’s been an overwhelming number of inquiries about the workshop’s heating system from the marketplace."

"Indeed. Right now, there’s more interest in the ondol boilers than in the Green Herb Soap. Just yesterday alone, countless residents visited the workshop. With how quickly word is spreading, it’s only a matter of time before news reaches beyond the estate."

The vassals were astonished by the residents’ enthusiasm for the ondol boiler.

Though they themselves had been impressed by the new heating system, they hadn’t anticipated such an explosive response from the residents.

Having struggled through the biting winter cold, the warmth of the ondol quickly captivated the residents, and many expressed a desire to have the system installed in their own homes.

The treasurer spoke up.

"We are planning to open an ondol heating construction guild near the workshop soon. The construction workers hired by Pablo will all be employed there. Pablo has also submitted a request to establish his own guild in the territory."

"That’s excellent news. Grant Pablo the permission he requested. Let’s officially launch the heating business," Penelope replied with a smile.

Soon, Penelope would open a guild in the center of Halo to begin the heating installation business.

Judging by the overwhelming interest, the business was sure to grow rapidly. Recovering the investment and turning a profit seemed only a matter of time.

‘I can already hear the sound of money piling up!’

Penelope couldn’t suppress her grin. The thought of hitting it big with the heating business filled her with joy.

"Oh, now that the workshop is finished, please arrange to install ondol boilers in the chapel and the orphanage next," she added.

"Understood. But isn’t the chapel currently unoccupied? Are you planning to bring in a new priest?"

At the treasurer’s question, the other vassals cleared their throats awkwardly. The poverty of the Halo estate had long deterred any priests from coming.

Penelope shook her head.

"We’ll use the chapel as a school for now. Could you find a teacher to educate the children?"

"I’ll see to it," the treasurer replied.

As soon as the meeting ended, Penelope headed to her office.

Lianel, who had been staying in her office, had recently moved to the guest room after its ondol installation was completed.

‘It’s about time for the Northern Grand Duke to leave the manor, isn’t it?’

Surely the ruler of the Grand Duchy couldn’t remain holed up here indefinitely.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Penelope quickly composed her expression.

The door opened, and Ahwin stepped inside.

"Taking a break?"

"Oh, you’re here?"

Penelope greeted Ahwin as casually as she could, waving lightly with a smile on her lips.

‘I probably look like my usual self, right?’

She had always treated Ahwin nonchalantly, so the idea of acting shy or tense around him now felt unbearably embarrassing.

‘Changing my demeanor just because his appearance is different—what would he even think of me?’

Determined, Penelope decided to treat him even more comfortably than before.